Celebrating it’s 20th anniversary, Bethesda and id Software once again bring back the game that made the first person shooter popular. Doom. A game I’ve been playing religiously since 1994 is back with a vengeance with a compilation package titled “BFG Edition.” Not only do I get the classic games they also packed in Doom 3 all in glorious HD. Considering the fact that I already had Doom 3 on my original Xbox I couldn’t resist purchasing this edition. Why? Because now it has achievements! Yes, this new package collection definitely appeases the achievement whore in me, but was it enough? Let’s find out.

PROS:

Everything Doom In One Amazing Package:
Doom 3 BFG Edition contains everything that is Doom. Doom, Doom II: Hell on Earth (with the bonus episode), Doom 3, and Resurrection of Evil. New to the series is the addition of The Lost Mission which brings more terror to the Doom 3 story. Basically what it boils down to is that I have hours upon hours of gory nostalgic entertainment. Doom 3 is still just as fun to play in the dark, and still has those moments that will send chills up your spine.

Doom 3 Looks Great In HD
While Doom and Doom 2 were left relatively unchanged, Doom 3 gets the full HD makeover and it looks great. Tight visuals, no jaggies, everything looks sharp on my 1080p HDTV. The terrifying moments when the lights go out and the flashlight only illuminating a small space still gives me that chilling moment that something bad is about to happen. That’s usually when the imps appear (sometimes right behind you) and attack. Along with the graphical upgrades, the sound is also up to par with the dark tone of the game.

“A Chainsaw! Find Some Meat!”
Probably the best item shipped by mistake. The chainsaw is great when out of ammo and does tons of damage and leaves plenty of gore on it’s place. Plus in the classic games you see your character with a big smile on his face. Beware Pinky…I’m coming for you! Doom along with the movies Scarface and The Army of Darkness made this weapon of choice popular. Just a thought. Where would games like Gears of War be today if there was no chainsaw?

CONS

Where’s My Flashlight?
One of Doom 3’s biggest and most significant change. The new Armor Mounted Flashlight replaces the old standby which was also a useful melee weapon against zombified enemies. This new lighting option uses the limited battery with a meter constantly running to empty. While this option is highly useful it unfortunately takes away from some of the game’s more terrifying moments especially when the lights go out. Personally, I miss the option of arming a gun or using my light. This will take some time getting over.

Where’s Final Doom?
With all the Doom games and new additions all on one disc there is one game missing. Final Doom. C’mon man. Who dropped the ball on that one? If your going to have a full collection of Doom games on one disc then make sure fans like me have all of them to choose from.

IN CONCLUSION

Doom 3 BFG Edition is clearly a game for fans like me. Even after 20 years shooting my guns and bringing pixelated death to any zombified soldier or demon that stands in my way of reaching my goal is still a lot of fun. I also like the fact that there’s no regenerating health like some of today’s shooter, and a dark theme that rivals Dead Space. No need for a “Final Cut” for this game because Doom 3 BFG Edition is a keeper.